Should we follow the Wizard or the Prophet? – Discussing diverging paths for sustainable food system transformation

A food system symposium at Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam on Friday, September 13, 9:00-13:00.

We know that we need to change the way we produce and consume our food. But we do not really agree on how exactly we should do this. GMOs, trade, vegan diets, farm size, organic agriculture, subsidies… – all of these topics are hotly debated. Should we follow the Wizard’s “Innovate!” and increase efficiency, or should we rather follow the Prophet’s “Cut back!” and reduce consumption? And what role can science play in this urgently needed transformation? What type of knowledge do we need to produce to help move the food system towards sustainability?

This Symposium will discuss these controversial questions from various perspectives, showcasing examples of work from within and outside Vrije Universiteit (VU) that tries to contribute to food system transformation, but also highlighting persistent action and knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to build a better and more sustainable food system.

The Symposium will include keynote talks by international food system experts from within and outside academia – including John Ingram (Univ. Oxford), Liesbeth Temme (RIVM), Ken Giller (WUR), Tom Evans  (Univ. Arizona) and Fabrice DeClerck (EAT Forum) – as well as flash talks and poster presentations by VU researchers.

Attendance of the talks is free and does not require registration. But for attendance of the lunch reception please register here.

More information (including detailed program) can be found here.